Deutsche Telekom’s enterprise customer division, T-Systems, and global IT services provider, Cognizant have announced that they have entered into a global systems integration alliance. The alliance is primarily aimed at catering to European corporations with global delivery requirements for system integration services.

The partnership combines the onsite and offshore expertise of T-Systems and Cognizant across industry segments with an enhanced geographical footprint, a broader range of service offerings, and greater access to the best global talent. The new alliance will draw upon a combined talent base of over 110,000 employees worldwide, comprising more than 40,000 employees working offshore.

Expanded operations in key geographies – Europe, Americas and Asia – are expected to augment the growth of the two companies.

As part of the new business partnership, T-Systems India and its approximately 1,150 employees will be transferred to Cognizant, subject to appropriate regulatory clearance.

By harnessing the onsite, nearshore and offshore strengths of T-Systems and Cognizant, the partnership will facilitate the adoption of a global services delivery model in and beyond Europe that will enable the customers to save costs through labor arbitrage. "This new alliance will make global delivery a reality in Europe. Strategically we are the first to give our customers unprecedented access to a new service and delivery model,” said Reinhard Clemens, management board member for business customers at Deutsche Telekom and CEO of T-Systems.

"In partnership we can deliver truly unique global IT services, bringing together our complementary strengths with the goal of dramatically increasing the value provided to customers,” said Francisco D’Souza, President and CEO of Cognizant. “Both Cognizant and T-Systems have a long heritage of partnering with clients, and our joint capabilities will deliver a powerful combination of scale and agility in the key markets serviced by both companies.

We also look forward to welcoming the T-Systems employees in India to the Cognizant family. We believe that this alliance will provide our joint customers with a world-class combination of deep local knowledge and market-leading global delivery platform.”